Historic Cold Snap in Texas, USA... Oil Fields Also Paralyzed (Summary)

Unusually Heavy Snow in Texas
Power Demand Rises, Transmission Limited... 2.6 Million Exposed to Cold
Oil and Natural Gas Pipelines Freeze and Halt

A citizen is snowboarding on the street in Austin, Texas. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Serious damage is feared as rolling blackouts have begun in 14 states due to unprecedented cold waves hitting the central southern United States, including Texas. The operation of oil fields and refining facilities has also been paralyzed, making industrial sector impacts inevitable.

On the 15th (local time), the U.S. National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings for 25 states from Maine near the eastern Canadian border to Texas in the central south. Nearly 150 million residents, close to half of the U.S. population, fell under the cold wave warning area. Seven state governments including Alabama, Oregon, Oklahoma, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Texas declared a state of emergency in preparation for the cold wave. In Minnesota, temperatures dropped to as low as minus 38 degrees Celsius.

Texas, which usually has a mild climate, suffered the most severe damage. Record-breaking cold of minus 22 degrees Celsius hit northern Texas, including Dallas. Austin, Texas, home to many global semiconductor companies such as Samsung Electronics, also experienced heavy snowfall. Texas authorities estimated that the damage from this cold and snowfall would reach the level of a category 4 hurricane.

Heavy snowfall paralyzed transportation, and many residents faced great difficulties securing food and gasoline. Major airports in Texas, including Houston, were closed, stranding travelers. The state National Guard was even mobilized to rescue drivers trapped in the snow. President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency the day before to support the cold wave damage in Texas, but it was insufficient to prevent the spread of damage.

As power consumption increased due to the winter storm, Texas began emergency rolling blackouts affecting 2.6 million households. The Associated Press reported that many residents are suffering from extreme cold due to the limited power outages. Southwest Power Pool, which supplies electricity to 14 states, also announced limited power transmission.

The industrial sector is also being hit. Due to power outages and severe cold, the operation of Texas oil fields, refining facilities, and natural gas pipeline systems has been suspended.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.